Eaton Corporation

Hemant K Mody

Mark Allan Juds

Peter J Theisen

Peter K Moldovan

Xin Zhou

Charles J Tennies

Slobodan Krstic

Mark G Solveson

James C Vander Meer

William Ernest Grass

Mary Jo Vanderheiden

An alternating current circuit breaker having an extended fin cantilevered from its housing. A portion of the fin along its extended length is magnetized so that the fin flutters in the magnetic field generated by the alternating current conducted through the breaker. The resulting magnetic resonance vibration establishes forced, convective heat transfer which assists cooling of the breaker.

Cooling device for circuit breakers

An improved circuit interrupter having a solenoid in series with the line and load terminals with an armature operable to activate a trip mechanism within the circuit breaker upon experiencing current levels indicative of short circuit conditions. The traditional solenoid coil is replaced with a free form conductor stamped in a serpentine pattern with adjacent legs deformed slightly in opposite directions to permit an electromagnetic material to be disposed therebetween. Current is directed through the conductor progressively back and forth through the serpentine pattern and creates a magnetic field in the electromagnetic material which is sufficient to activate an armature when current levels approximate short circuit conditions.

Molded case circuit breaker having an improved electromagnetic trip

An electric arc extinguishing mechanism is provided for an electric current switching apparatus of the type having a pair of contacts which selectively engage to complete an electric circuit. The mechanism includes a plurality of splitter plates located adjacent to the contacts and formed of electrically conductive material. Each splitter plate has a body of electrically conductive material, and a casing with a pair of planar portions on opposite sides of the body and connected by the curved edge portion. The edge portion is adjacent the contacts with the planar portions extending from the edge portion in an open loop having a gap. Any arc introduced between adjacent splitter plates moves around the open loop before being extinguished thereby not residing in one spot long enough to cause gross melting and associated erosion of the splitter plate.

Electric current switching apparatus with arc spinning extinguisher

A thick solid steel slot motor is disposed adjacent a movable conductor to apply a contact closing force on the conductor, augmenting the contact pressure spring, under steady state current conditions, and to reduce the force under high rate of current rise conditions to enhance dynamic separation of the movable conductor from a stationary conductor, reducing the strength requirement of the contact pressure spring.

Rate of current rise sensitive slot motor and switching apparatus having

A solenoid trip unit is electrically connected in parallel with a current limiting polymer element in series with circuit breaker contacts to function as a shunt resistance for the polymer element, becoming energized by transition of the polymer element to its high resistive state, for tripping the breaker contacts open upon such transition. The solenoid may be particularly wound with a resistive wire.

Growing community of inventors

Brookfield, WI, United States of America

Hemant K Mody